Before the Gates of Hell
by Anki-Shai
Summary: The end of the world is exactly what everyone thought it would be: a living hell. For Diaval, after having lost everything, hell may be housing a single angel who may need more saving than him.
1. Hell

**Chapter 1**

**Hell**

Darkness.

That was the first memory he had waking up after the building collapse on him. Darkness and pain filling his limbs when he was finally made aware of the world around him.

He tried to sit up with some difficulty, wincing in horror when he saw the state his left arm was in. Broken, bloodied, useless.

He felt a wave of nausea hit him as soon as he found his way on shaky legs, throwing up what little food he still had on him.

Blinding pain traveled through his body until his eyes found themselves blinded by the sun light.

Moans…

Groans…

Bodies dragging themselves, the smell of dead filling his nostrils a warning lifting in his mind when he realized they were near.

He lifted his eyes and saw three walking bodies approaching him. He breathed harder, sweat rolling down his face. He needed to move..

Move.

Move.

MOVE!

He took a step forward, then another. He had to stop when the nausea was back and his left arm hit lightly the side of a wall, he whimpered biting down his lower lip to drown his screams.

More moans. They were getting closer.

He closed his eyes shouting orders to his legs.

Death was near.

He could sense it. He could smell it.

Opening his eyes he decided he would face his death like a man. He saw those horrible creatures approached him. Blood and meat on their teeth, hungry exterior, rotten flesh…

Then, three shoots broke the silence.

He watched as one by one those rotten bodies fell to the ground. He didn't know what was worse, the zombies or the unknown shooter.

But then, he saw her.

Tall, long, dark hair, clear green-golden eyes, high cheeks, sever expression. An Angel.

His angel.

She eyed him with a gun point at him.

Not emotion.

A killer.

He smiled before collapsing.

He had gone to heaven before going back to hell.


	2. From the beginning

**Chapter 2**

**From the beginning**

It was a sunny morning, warm and filled with the delicious aroma of recently made breakfast.

Even if the atmosphere around her was cheerful, the news coming from the TV in the kitchen were giving the august morning a gloomy feeling. Aurora Moors bit her lower lip, her eyes wide as they followed the images coming from the TV, people running around screaming and bleeding while the police seemed to be shooting civilians left and right. The voice of the commentator was dark, deep with emotion.

Mallory Moors glanced at her daughter with a frown, but she couldn't bring herself to turn on the TV. Everyone was worried, mainly because the images they were passing through the news were old ones, they were the same images of the same city that had fallen two days ago. The woman placed the scramble eggs and french toast in front of Aurora who picked it up distractedly.

"Have you heard from dad?" Aurora suddenly asked turning her blue eyes to her mother, Mallory shook her head tensing the same way she did whereas Stefan Saunders was mentioned.

"No, I haven't." Mallory felt the old anger surfacing but watching the concern look on her daughter's face she decided to not voice her opinions. Stefan was probably fucking one of his assistants or making sure if something happen he would be sound and save.

"I wish you wouldn't go." Aurora mumbled lowering her gaze, "Things don't look good and I really hate when they send you in this kind of missions."

"I know, Aurora. But this is turning to be a matter of national security, the last team they deploy needs a hand." Mallory sighed drinking from her mug, she wished she could stay as well. The last reports she received were all marked 'classified' and the news were worse than what they showed on the TV.

"But, I know Elsa will take care of you if anything were to happen, and I know you'll do anything Elsa tells you to."

"Yes, mom, I know." Aurora replied sharing a nervous smile with her mother. "Is it really that bad? I mean, this is all coming from South America and the Middle East…"

As soon as those words left Aurora's mouth the girl knew the answer, she glanced at the TV and then back at Mallory.

"I wish there was something we could have done to help them."

"You know I can't talk to you about this, don't you?"

Mallory didn't need to say anything else, Aurora knew those words and the meaning behind them. Her mother knew more about what was happening that she let on, and that usually meant things were going from bad to worse.

"What if dad calls me?" Aurora inquired while Mallory turned off the TV.

"I want you to stay put with Elsa without disclosing any information to him." This time she looked dead serious and Aurora knew there was no questioning her.

"Aurora, promise me if something were to happen and Stefan calls you you won't go to him."

Mallory placed her hands on the young girls shoulders, Aurora lifted her head locking her eyes to those of her mother. She sometimes wished she knew the whole story behind her parents divorce, but her mother was always reluctant and her father was…well, he was never nice. Aurora swallowed and nodded briefly.

"I promise." Then as an afterthought, "But, nothing bad is going to happen. You go there, help those who need help and come back, right?"

"Yes, yes I will." Mallory responded with a half smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Elsa and Mallory watched from the security of their kitchen as Aurora played with Sven and Kristoff, Elsa's brother in law. Anna was reading the latest report Mallory had handed over to her.

"This is horrible." Anna finally said. "I've been working with the others at the CDC, but so far there's nothing…and I mean nothing we can do."

"That's why I am taking you with me." Said Mallory in a serious tone. " You're the best virologist I know, I need you to guide through the zone."

"This is going to be dangerous." Elsa replied looking worriedly from her little sister to her best friend. "According to you this is the hot zone."

"Yes, but apparently the data from the center in there is what we need. They had samples of the first strain and the two others, but we're not sure. This is only things we got from the radio."

Anna watched as Kristoff fell on his ass with Aurora and Sven attacking him mercifully. She smiled sadly at the scene letting out a heavy sigh.

"Tell me something, how many cases have they report here in the States?"

Mallory snorted shaking her head, "So far? twenty, and they're growing, apparently one of the marines quit the mission and came back to his family. They tried to isolated it but…"

"But things are going out of control." Anna turned to Elsa. "I need you to be ready to leave to the family cottage."

"You're coming then?" Asked Mallory, Anna nodded.

"Yes, you are right. You need all the help you can get and this is getting worse and worse, you heard about Germany, right?"

"Yes, this morning."

Elsa placed her mug on the table crossing her arms, " I have everything ready and take Kristoff and Aurora with me as long as the both of you promise to keep in contact."

"Of course, we'll try." Mallory replied her eyes focused on her daughter, the light of her life, the person she would sacrifice everything for. "Just take care, if you have to leave, leave. We will find you."

The soft laughter of his wife brought a brilliant smile to his face, his heart shrank at the sight of her laughing freely with her hand caressing her growing abdomen.

"Come here, you fool." She said cupping his face with her hands and placing a soft kiss on his lips. "You shouldn't do that, it's just a dog."

"It is a bad dog." He replied earning another chuckle and a deep kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too, Diaval."

Diaval smiled goofy at Leah's declaration, he then picked up the dog plushy they had purchased and that had fallen to the mud under their car. He cleaned it up making a face.

"Why are we buying plushy dogs? He is going to want one, you know?" Diaval said looking lovingly at his wife who merely snort.

"He is going to have a puppy, Diaval. Dogs are good for growing children."

"Well, how about a cat? Cats are good too."

"Please, the cat will only train our son to be his minion." Leah replied rolling her eyes while grabbing the plushy dog and cleaning it up some.

Diaval contemplated the comment, shrugging in agreement. "Perhaps you're right. I still think we should think over about this dog."

Leah chuckled nodding, " Very well. For now, I think a nice, warm bath is in order, I'm tired."

Diaval leaned in kissing Leah, "Yes, my lady, let me take you home."

Their ride home was filled with sudden news about this new wave of violence and the strange sickness taking over in the Middle East and South America. Diaval frowned when the man in the radio made a joke but his laughter was dry and lack the usual joy. He glanced at Lea over the rear mirror but the woman was fast asleep. Diaval glanced ahead of him, his frown deepening when he spot two police cars followed by an ambulance.

They lived in a modest neighborhood just outside the city, it was a private project for growing families the prices were low and it was perfect for Diaval and Leah to start their family. He presented his key card and the gate open for him, the rest of the homes were already occupied by their residents, Diaval smiled to some of his neighbours while he parked his car.

"Good afternoon, Diaval, how was your day?" The lady from the house next door greet him with a smile. She had on her hands a basket filled with food.

"It was great, Mrs. Smith, The doctor said is going to be a healthy boy." He smiled proudly and the old woman hug him tightly.

"Well, congratulations to you and young Leah."

"Thank you, Mrs. Smith." Leah said getting out of the car.

"I made something for you, Diaval and the baby. Hope you enjoy it, my husband left today on some sort of call at the White House so…" Mrs. Smith looked sad, but Diaval knew the woman was always like this when her husband was away. Mr. Smith was a veteran soldier working for the Department of Defense.

"Mr. Smith, would you like accompanying us? I left dinner ready and Diaval here is wanting for me to watch Casablanca, perhaps you could join us?"

"Oh, dear, I wouldn't want to impose…"

"Nonsense, I think from now on, I'll need more feminine company around." Said Leah hooking her arm with the old woman talking about what had happened at the doctor. Diaval shook his head returning to the car to put some of the groceries out, he heard the radio still on but his mind was already on other matters so he never paid close attention to what had happened in Germany.


End file.
